This invention relates to cases for packaging garments, particularly shirts.
It is difficult to avoid crushing or creasing shirts, especially in the collar region, when packaged in modern flexible luggage, or tightly packed briefcases, or in other circumstances where there is no protection against compression. Also, when shirts are loosely packed it is difficult to avoid collapsing and creasing especially when carried vertically.
This is particularly, although not exclusively, a problem for the business traveller who needs to have one or more changes of clothing ready for wear in fresh condition but who only has limited or cramped luggage space.
An object of the present invention is to provide a case in which a garment or garments can be conveniently packaged, so as to be maintained in fresh condition during transport or storage.
According to one aspect of the invention therefore there is provided a packaging case for a garment or garments comprising an outer bag structure defining an openable storage container having top and bottom walls thereto, and a reinforcing structure providing transverse rigidity between said walls, characterised in that this rigidity is restricted to, or extends over a greater height between the walls, at one end region of the storage container relative to an opposite end thereof.
With this arrangement, in effect the packaging case has xe2x80x98steppedxe2x80x99 rigidity suited to protected packaging of a folded shirt with the collar located at the said one end region and the remainder of the shirt extending towards the opposite end region.
According to a second aspect of the invention therefore there is provided a method of packaging a shirt using a case as described above wherein the shirt is folded and inserted into the case with the collar of the shirt at the said one end region and the remainder of the shirt extending towards the opposite end region.
The use of stepped rigidity facilitates stacking of two cases one turned over and rotated through 180xc2x0 relative to the other so that the top walls of the two cases confront and contact each other with the said one end region of each against the said other end region of the other.
Two or more cases, containing different changes of clothing, can therefore be conveniently packed in a brief-case, or other luggage so that multiple fresh changes of clothing can be carried.
Provision may be made for releasably interconnecting such stacked cases. Also if desired provision may be made for releasably interconnecting cases side by side or otherwise.
With regard to the outer bag structure this is preferably stepped or inclined correspondingly to the above mentioned stepped rigidity i.e. so as to be of a greater height at said one end region relative to said opposite end. In one embodiment, the bottom wall may be arranged to be wholly or mainly flat whereas the top wall may be arranged to have two separate flat portions, corresponding respectively to the said end regions, with an inclined joining portion therebetween. The top and bottom walls may be linked by edge walls around the entire periphery, or at least a major portion of the periphery, and these may be of different heights at opposite ends, and of stepped height along the sides, in conformity with the stepped configuration. Instead of this three-part stepped top wall it is possible to use a single, or two-part inclined top wall.
Instead of an overall stepped or inclined bag structure it is possible to have a bag structure which has a stepped or inclined compartment. For example the bag may be rectangular with an inset upper compartment at the said other end region leaving a stepped or inclined compartment in the remainder of the bag structure. Indeed, the term bag structure as used herein is intended to cover rigid or self supporting box containers as well as bags of a flexible or partly flexible or soft nature.
The bag structure may be formed from flexible material such as textile fabric and/or plastics sheeting and/or leather and this may be appropriately cut and seamed or molded to form the desired shape. A zip fastener, or VELCRO fastener or any other suitable fastener may be provided along an openable flap or mouth to provide access to the interior of the bag structure. Stiff, semi-stiff or rigid materials can also be used as also can other fasteners such as studs or snap fasteners.
The reinforcing structure may additionally provide rigidity other than in the said transverse direction to effect, or assist, maintenance of the desired overall shape of the bag structure. Thus, the reinforcing structure may include a planar portion extending over the inner surface of the bottom wall of the bag structure.
With regard to the reinforcing structure, this may comprise one or more rigid parts formed integrally with or comprising an integral part of, and/or separate to and located within the bag structure. The term xe2x80x98rigidityxe2x80x99 is intended to cover parts having sufficient rigidity or stiffness to provide substantial resistance to crushing of a shirt and especially a shirt collar under compression normally encountered in packing and handling of luggage. Thus, semi-rigid parts from materials such as card, self-supporting resiliently deflectable plastics sheeting, and the like can be used.
The reinforcing structure may comprise rigid transverse edge walls, i.e. edge walls extending in the transverse (upright) direction between the top and bottom walls and which are inherently rigid or which have rigid frames applied thereto.
Additionally or alternatively, the reinforcing structure preferably comprises a flat back part which overlies the inner surface of the bottom wall of the bag structure and an integral upstanding tab section at one end which extends within the said one end region of the bag structure. Preferably also this structure is removable from the bag structure so that it can be used as a shirt frame around which a shirt can be folded with the shirt collar engaged with the tab section.
The shirt frame may have great rigidity in a transverse direction between the side edge walls parallel to the top and bottom walls, and in this case the side edge walls of the bag may be partly or fully flexible in such transverse parallel direction.
In a preferred embodiment there is provided a collar reinforcement, preferably adapted to provide or contribute to the transverse rigidity at the said one end region, and which is arranged to fit around the periphery of a shirt collar to hold the collar in shape, particularly by fitting within the collar. This may take the form of a generally triangular or oval or circular frame which is preferably of adjustable size, e.g. by expansion of one side, to correspond to different collar sizes.
In a particularly preferred embodiment this collar former is made from a strip which can be folded and retained in shape by interconnection of its ends at a position selected from a range of positions e.g. by engagement of a snap fit fastener, such as a stud, or cut-outs with a selected one of a row of cooperable members.
Additionally, there may be a separate front collar support tab that is either integral to the one piece collar reinforcement or is separately attached to it by means of one or more studs or other fasteners. This collar support can fit under the front wings of the collar with a middle tab section that rises between these wings and folds back on itself into the inside of the collar where it is fastened onto the collar reinforcement.
Preferably also there is provided a supplementary container for small garments, such as underwear, locatable within the bag structure, and conveniently this may be shaped and dimensioned to fit within the collar of a shirt. Thus, for example, the container may comprise a generally triangular or curved or oval bag which can fit within a shirt collar when the collar is supported by the above mentioned generally triangular or curved or oval frame, and preferably incorporates internally such frame. In this case such a fastener may cover only say 70% of the bag circumference so allowing the bag to be squeezed into smaller collar sizes. This bag may have a closeable opening, e.g. a zipped mouth or flap or the like.
The case may also incorporate other garment storage or retaining devices. For example an elasticated strap or a retaining flap with appropriate slots or a further pocket with or without a zipped closure may be attached to an inner surface of the bag structure, or to a part of the reinforcing structure, so that cuff links or other personal valuables or toiletries can be securely retained by the structure.
One embodiment of the invention is characterised by the provision of a supplementary storage compartment, said compartment being arranged at the said opposite end region of the case. Preferably, the supplementary storage compartment is detachably mounted externally on the top wall of the case. It may also be incorporated detachably or integrally internally.
As mentioned above, the packaging case preferably incorporates a shirt frame.
Thus, and in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame, particularly although not exclusively for use in performing the above described method, said frame comprising first and second flat panels joined by a hinge whereby the panels can be bent or pivoted about the hinge to lie one on top of the other with an article folded around the panels, characterised in that the hinge is arranged to bend or pivot to form a curved transition between the panels. In this way creasing can be avoided as the article is folded over the hinge. The article is preferably a shirt but may be another garment or textile article or the like.
Preferably the hinge is defined by a strip with multiple side by side lines of weakness. Preferably also, the panels and the strip are formed integrally in one piece. An upstanding tab may be provided at a top end of a top one of the panels for engagement with the shirt collar.
Although particularly suited for the packaging case of the present invention, the shirt frame may also be used in any other suitable packaging.